Who’d turn down a job offer in this job market? I got a call from a friend last week asking me about whether she should accept a job offer. It was a pretty attractive offer at a high profile organization in the area (think sportswear).

She told me about it – all the pros and cons. I asked her “Do you want the job?” She stammered and paused, “Not really…” she said. So, why was she considering the job, I wondered. Turns out that she was very, very hesitant to say no, because “…the job market is just so bad right now. There might not be another job for a while.” Actually, it just wasn’t the right job for her.

I think it takes tremendous courage to say no right now. But if you’re really clear about what you want, saying no isn’t scary, it’s empowering. I also know that I need to practice this myself, so I’ll keep you posted on how saying no goes for me.